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Bam UK has rebounded this year with a 40% jump in revenue across its construction, property and civil engineering divisions for the first half of 2021.

The contractor said the strong performance of its UK business helped the wider group recover to an adjusted EBITDA of 拢134m (鈧�157m), compared with a 拢46m (鈧�54m) loss in the same covid-hit period in 2020.

It said group revenue increased by 17% to 拢3bn (鈧�3.6bn), edging above its pre-covid level of 拢2.9bn (鈧�3.45bn) in the first half of 2019, adding that the British pound exchange rate had brought in 拢4.3m (鈧�5m).

Despite the wider group鈥檚 construction and property order book dipping by 6% this year, it said the 拢253m Co-op Live arena in Manchester 鈥� Bam鈥檚 largest ever contract 鈥� helped its UK order book grow from last year.

Revenue in Bam鈥檚 UK construction business increased to 拢471m (鈧�551m) this year from 拢335m (鈧�392m) in the first half of 2020, while adjusted EBITDA recovered to 拢18.4m (鈧�21.5m) from a 拢12m (鈧�14m) loss.

And the group said the performance of its UK civil engineering division was the main driver behind a 20% rise in revenue across the wider group鈥檚 civils operations, helped by UK government support for large infrastructure projects.

Its UK civil engineering revenue jumped this year to 拢541m (鈧�633m), up from 拢388m (鈧�454m) a year ago, bringing the group鈥檚 total revenue in civils to more than 拢1.37bn (鈧�1.6bn).

This contrasts sharply with the performance of the group鈥檚 Dutch civils business, which saw an EBITDA loss of 拢4.6m (鈧�5.4m) and revenue of 拢497m (鈧�582m), down from revenue of 拢525m (鈧�615m) and EBITDA of 拢3m (鈧�3.5m) in the first half of last year.

The group blamed the poor performance on cost overruns for big contracts, adding that it had decided not to tender for several new large projects in the Netherlands including two major highway schemes.

But it said a 拢102m (鈧�120m) rise in orders in the Netherlands had helped to boost its overall order book by 5% to 拢6.74bn (鈧�7.9bn).

And the group, which has been undergoing restructuring since February, appears to have strengthened its position in Germany after a problem job in the country in 2020 contributed to losses of more than 拢100m.

Revenue in its German construction business increased to 拢184m (鈧�216m), from 拢168m (鈧�197m) in the first half of last year, with EBITDA back in the black at 拢2.8m (鈧�3.3m) after a 拢18.5m (鈧�21.7m) loss the previous year. However, selective tendering resulted in an order book that was some 拢171m (鈧�200m) lower.

Bam鈥檚 German civil engineering business also saw a major rebound, with revenue increasing to 拢149m (鈧�175m) from 拢121m (鈧�142m) and EBITDA at 拢12.9m (鈧�15.1m) from a near 拢25.6m (鈧�30m) loss in the first half of 2020.